Stronger Blood
by ebony-ivory-me
Summary: Kyou is desperate to defeat Yuki. Will his obsession cause him to go crazy? Rated T for mild language, slight gore, cutting, and brief insanity.
1. Answers in Blood

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. I am just a fan writing a fanfiction.**

**TITLE: Stronger Blood**

**SUMMARY: ****Alright, well, in this fanfic, Kyou is insanely desperate to beat Yuki. So desperate, he might just do something crazy. So crazy, he might hurt himself and break everyone's heart.**

**RATING: T**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: ****Hey there, everyone! I'm new to FFN and this is my first fanfic! Yay! Go me! I'd like to recognize Kai the Tiger Princess for being the FFN ****welcoming committee. She was so nice and helped me to get a better of idea of what writing fanfictions is all about. Thanks, Kai-senpai! **

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"_Why is he always better than me?!_" Kyou would never say that within Yuki's earshot.

All he could do to preserve his dignity was grimace and glare up at that "damn rat's" face and scream inside his own mind. He was pinned to the  
floor, facedown, Yuki's right foot pushing triumphantly on his back. It was yet another failed attempt to officially enter the twelve zodiacs. Kyou growled and squirmed out from underneath Yuki's hold. As always, Yuki's face seemed impassive, as if it were boring for him to fight Kyou. A snide comment or two, something about weakness, and he was off to his room to finish homework.

The "stupid cat", though, saw more than that in his rival's face. He knew that Yuki mocked him with more than just words. Yuki thought that he was better, that Kyou wasn't even worth his time. Oh how Kyou hated being thought of like that. He trained hard, he _wanted_ to defeat Yuki, it was the most important thing in his life. How dare someone think of him as worthless. How dare someone think he, a person who tried so assiduously to reach his goal, was undeserving of a chance to gain what he desired most. How dare Yuki look down on him like that. How dare he.

Kyou clenched his fists and a vain could be seen popping up on his temple. He couldn't stand it anymore! He growled lowly to himself, desperately trying to figure out _what_ could make them _so _different that he was never strong enough, no matter how much he tried. As he stood there seething, Shigure happened to walk into the room. Immediately after breaching the doorway and seeing Kyou in such an anguished state, he promptly turned right around on his heel and quickly marched back to his office, fearing the wrath of his very angry relative.

Kyou set out for his own room. It was almost a sanctuary. It was quiet, and he could be alone and think there; but his only thoughts that day were focused on Yuki, as they were many days. He sat on his bed, brow furrowed in deep concentration, thinking so hard he almost entered meditation. Then he had a thought, something he hadn't thought of before. It sounded silly, but in a way it did make sense to him.

"_What if it's biological?_" Kyou wondered if maybe there was something genetically wrong with him, or if Yuki had inherited better genes. Better blood, even? "_Yes, that has to be it!_" Better blood! Why hadn't he thought of it before? Blood was the most important thing in the body, without it, the body cannot function. Blood brought oxygen to the body's muscles and carried away wastes and toxins. Yuki's blood must have been doing it's job better than his blood. Now, Kyou only needed to make his blood better than Yuki's, so his muscles could function more efficiently. "_Then I'll finally be stronger than that damn rat!_"

Kyou was elated, to say the very least; but there was still one formality left for him to deal with: how to do it.

* * *

As a monotone voice droned on from the front of the room, Kyou sat at his desk and heaved a bored sigh. It was the day after he'd had his idea, and he wished he were at home improving his blood instead of in his fourth period science class. He fiddled with his pencil and absently daydreamt of his victory over Yuki. In boredom, he glanced over at Tohru, who was furiously scribbling into her notebook, as if the teacher were explaining the meaning of life and she needed to document his every word. He glanced at Hanajima, who was unmoving and sat perfectly still, so still in fact, Kyou though she might just be sleeping with her eyes open. He thought she probably could. He didn't bother to look at Uotani or Yuki, he didn't like either of them and the prospect of being caught in a two-against-one staring match was too great. It wasn't worth the risk of another humiliating defeat at their hands.

Suddenly, a certain word caught Kyou's ears and he turned his attention to the front of the classroom. The teacher continued to speak.

"The test next Friday will be focused on Chapter 12, Section 3: The Importance of Blood in the Human Body. Make sure you study it thoroughly, because there's a lot of important information in there. Do that, and you'll do well next week. Now, class, I'm going to write several key terms on the board. I want you to copy them down and-"

That was all he needed to hear.

* * *

When the school bell rang at the end of the day, Kyou didn't wait for anyone. He dashed through the hallways, ignoring the shouts and glares from random teachers, and burst through the front doors. He ran all the to Shigure's house, almost forgetting to remove his shoes in his excitement. He rushed up to his room and slammed the door shut, making a point to ensure it was locked. He wasn't sure why, but Kyou felt he should keep his plan a secret. Maybe he would catch Yuki off guard that way.

Kyou grabbed his home copy of the science textbook, flipping the pages to Chapter 12, Section 3, and began to read. He scanned the pages, looking for anything that might help him get stronger.

"The average humans body contains approximately six quarts of blood at any given time." That seemed important. Kyou thought for moment, trying to remember measurement equivalencies before deciding that six quarts was equal to a gallon and a half. Kyou was surprised, he had thought that the _entire _human body would be able to hold more blood than that. At least it was safe to assume that Yuki wasn't stronger because he had more blood than him.

"In case of excessive bleeding, the body can produce more blood to replace that which was lost. On average, it takes approximately 24 hours to replace a single pint of lost blood. The consumption of large amounts of fluids during that time is vital to the process."

"_So, my body can make new blood if I lose any of what I've already got._" In the back of Kyou's mind, he started to devise a scheme. Kyou stared at the page, as if the answers to all his problems were there. They really weren't, but he saw them there anyways. He felt strange and unlike himself. He felt... a little crazy, actually; but the part of him in the back of his mind that was almost finished creating the plot told him it was a good thing.

"_I'll __finally beat him. I'll be a member of the twelve zodiacs. All I have to do is..._" He thought hard about exactly what he wanted to do. He had to get better blood. At least as good as Yuki's. How would he do it? At that moment, having hurled itself from the back of his mind, the plan slammed into Kyou's consciousness.

"That's it!"

* * *

"What is that idiot cat up to now?"

"Maybe Kyou-kun is studying."

Yuki and Tohru hadn't gotten home until a full ten minutes after Kyou first burst through the doors. They'd both been wondering why he had left school in such a rush. They sat in the kitchen thinking, while Tohru began to pour tea for the four of them. Before long, Shigure entered the room to greet them.

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, Shigure-san," Tohru replied politely. Yuki didn't answer, but only sipped his tea.

"Do either of you know what seems to have gotten into our little kitten?" Shigure inquired. Both Yuki and Tohru shook their heads as a response. The dog zodiac was frustrated. Just before the orange-haired boy arrived home, he had actually been writing after receiving a sudden jolt of inspiration. Then came Kyou, stampeding through the house slamming doors. Shigure's concentration had been shattered, much to the dismay of his suicidal editor.

"Would you like some tea, Shigure-san?" Tohru offered.

Shigure considered the young girl before him holding a tray with three steaming cups of tea carefully placed on it. Perhaps she could solve this mystery.

"Yes, of course, thank you. Do you think-"

Yuki interrupted his elder cousin saying "Honda-san, when you offer that stupid cat his tea, maybe you should ask him what's wrong."

"Of-of course I will! I'm happy to see that Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are finally starting to care about each other."

"I don't care," was his blunt reply. "I'm just curious. What _is_ his problem?"

Tohru almost dropped her tray. "_Oh well,_" she thought to herself. "_Being curious means he at least cares just a little bit... doesn't it?_" They were family, after all, and family cared about one another. Now a girl on a mission, Tohru marched off to Kyou's room. She was determined to find out what was wrong with the aid of hot, delicious tea.

* * *

"_Alright,_" Kyou thought, "_I'm going to need a couple things._" He couldn't lie to himself, he knew he was nervous. He thought his plan was crazy, but it still made sense to him. It was a crazy but sensible plan. He was anxious to get started. He stepped over to his door and opened it only to find Tohru there, holding a tray with two cups of tea.

"Oh, hi." He was suprised. He hadn't expected his plan to come into jeopardy so soon; but he could easily hide it from Tohru.

"Hello, Kyou-kun. Would you like some tea? I made peppermint." She held the tray out to him.

He thought for a moment before making a decision. "_Well, I might as well start now._" Then he said aloud, "Is anyone else having any?"

"Yes, Shigure-san and Yuki-kun already have theirs." She smiled, hoping he would take some.

"Alright then, sure." Kyou reached for a cup of tea before continuing, "Tohru?"

"Yes?" Maybe he would come out and talk to her instead of having to be questioned.

Kyou sighed, reminding himself that it would all be worth it once he defeated Yuki. "Could I... help you cook dinner tonight?"

Tohru was slightly surprised. She didn't think Kyou would have asked her anything like that. As always, she chose to think positively. She figured, that if Kyou helped her cook, then they would get a chance to talk. Cooking with someone else was always a good way to start a conversation with them. Her mother had told her so.

"Yes, of course! We can start as soon as I finish my homework. Is that alright with you, Kyou-kun?"

"Sure, I'll see you then." With that, Kyou shut the door. He could get everything he needed tonight. He took a sip of peppermint tea, picked up his science book, and continued reading the lesson.

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**Yay! The first chapter of my first fic is finished! R&R please! Reviews make me happy! Don't you want to make me happy?**


	2. Containing Himself

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:I don't see any point in putting the disclaimer in every chapter because what I put on the first chapter goes for the entire fanfiction. Okay! In this riveting chapter, Kyou's secret plan is finally revealed! How will he make his blood better? What does cooking dinner with Tohru have to do with any of this? What bloody recipe is he cooking up? Read now to find out! This chapter is dedicated to the lovely reviewers who noticed this fic, read it, and reviewed Chapter 1. Thanks, you guys!**

**Slight KyouXTohru in this chapter. But only if you look hard and squint!**

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"Kyou-kun!"

Said boy heard a light rapping on his door accompanied by Tohru's familiar voice.

"I've finished my homework. We can begin preparing dinner now."

"Alright, I'm coming," Kyou called through the door. He got up from his bed, closed his science book, and left his room to join Tohru in the hallway. As they walked back to the kitchen, he pretended to look interested while she gibbered away at him about the latest adventures of Momiji and Hatsuharu. He could care less about those two. Once inside the kitchen, Tohru handed Kyou a plain white apron before tying another one around herself. Kyou held the cloth in his hands. How much of his dignity would he have to sacrifice before all this was over? He hoped not much more.

**"**So, what are we making?" Kyou asked, tying the apron around his waist.

"Donburi." Tohru answered cheerily.

"What kind?"

"Oyakodon. My mother and I used to make it together sometimes. Whenever we did, she would pretend to be the mother chicken, and I would pretend to be the the child egg." she giggled. "She even sat on me once!"

Kyou wasn't sure how to respond. He opened his mouth to say something, when Yuki poked his head through the doorway looking suspicious. He glanced from Tohru to Yuki and back again.

"Is he bothering you, Honda-san?" he asked, as if inquiring about the weather.

"Oh no, Kyou-kun is helping me with dinner tonight, Yuki-kun." she responded. Yuki turned his attention back to Kyou.

"Don't make a mess, cat," and with that, the rat zodiac disappeared. Kyou couldn't believe his nerve!

"_Things will change after I beat that rat!_" Kyou though excitedly. Tohru then broke him from his thoughts. She instructed him to chop chicken into bite sized pieces while she prepared the eggs. When he was finished, Kyou asked for his next set of instructions. Gesturing to one of the cabinets, she told him to measure out two cups of rice for boiling. Behind the cabinet door, Kyou found a bag of rice and... a measuring cup. Two of them, actually. One was in the bag of rice, and the other sat in the cabinet looking virtually untouched. He switched them, and took down the used measuring cup. He excused himself, claiming he needed to use the bathroom. Keeping his back to Tohru, Kyou then scurried out of the kitchen and into his room, where he hid the measuring cup.

He then went to the bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and took one of Shigure's razors, placing it in his pocket. Before leaving, he flushed the empty toilet and washed his hands, making it sound as if he had gone to the bathroom. One last trip to his room to deposit the razor, and Kyou returned to the kitchen to measure and boil the rice for tonight's dish.

Before too long, dinner was finished. Tohru called for Yuki and Shigure to come to supper. Not a moment after they were seated at the neatly set kotatsu table, Tohru paraded out from the kitchen with a bowl of oyako donburi in each hand and Kyou traipsing behind her with two more. Tohru placed a bowl for Yuki, and Kyou placed a bowl for Shigure. The amateur chefs then served themselves. Finally, a cry of "Itadakimasu!" in quadruple unison and the four began to eat.

* * *

Kyou sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the small, shiny object in his hand. He never thought he would do something like this, but it would all be worth it in the end. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Everything he did now would pay off in the end. Kyou remembered reading that it would be dangerous if he lost a quart or more. He stole a quick glance at his door before looking back down at his hands. It was very late, and he was absolutely sure that everyone would be sleeping; but he had still locked his door just in case. He decided to take things slow. He didn't plan to lose anywhere near a quart at one time. He would do a little each day. Giving his body more than enough time to make the new blood. The better blood. The stronger blood. The blood that would help him defeat Yuki.

Kyou held his left wrist over the measuring cup and brought the razor blade to it. He pressed it against his skin and a tiny trickle of red seeped out. More pressure, and a weak flow began to ooze out of the wound and into the cup. It stung at first, but soon the pain numbed as he thought of how this little act would eventually gain him victory. He gazed at the bright red, marveling at its vibrant hue. The blood was a triumphant color, in his own opinion.

After a few minutes, he stopped bleeding. Kyou checked the measuring cup.

"Damn it."

He had only bled half a cup. He'd done the math, and figured if he bled two cups every night then he would be done in twelve days. After that, he would take one more day to make sure he was completely recovered. He planned to train hard every one of those thirteen days. He would also observe Yuki's eating habits closely, especially what he drank. He would keep the same diet as Yuki. There was no doubt in his mind that this plan would allow him to get blood at least as good as Yuki's. Kyou assumed that his superior training would then ensure his victory, for the playing field of natural talent would be leveled.

Kyou had to cut himself again, and then a third time before the cup filled up to the line with the number "2" on it. A twisted smirk took the liberty of marring his face as his fingers were stained red applying pressure to his wrist to stop its bleeding. Yuki would never see what was coming.

* * *

As Kyou got dressed for school the next morning, he was glad it was winter. It would give him a good reason to wear a long-sleeved shirt under his uniform. The shirt was old and stretched. His wrist would be safely hidden, as the sleeves were stretched so long they covered half of his hands. Kyou smiled happily at himself in the mirror. His plan was flawless. He only needed to find something to hide the blood in. He couldn't throw it out, there was too much risk of someone discovering a puddle of his blood. He feared pouring it down a drain more than anything. What if it backed-up? Then he would be discovered for sure. He decided to hide the blood in his room, but the measuring cup couldn't hold more than three cups of anything. He would need another container.

Kyou was still thinking about what he could use when he left his room for breakfast. He still thought about it while he ate his morning meal of plain oatmeal with a glass of orange juice (the same as Yuki, he made sure). On the way to school, during all his classes, and during lunch that day, Kyou tried to think of what he could use. It wasn't until after the final bell rang and he walked past the office to leave did he find what he was looking for. The school secretary was replacing the water jug in the miniature water machine kept there for the teachers. Kyou seized the opportunity.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Could I take that to the dumpster for you?"

The secretary peered at him over her glasses for a moment before deciding.

"Yes..." she answered tentatively, suspicious of this student's willingness to help. "Thank you, young man." she handed him the jug.

"Your welcome," he replied quickly, taking the three gallon hunk of plastic from her and hastily walking away. Once outside the school, Kyou sprinted for home. Being caught with the jug would surely raise suspicion. Upon arrival at Shigure's house, Kyou did a repeat of the day before. He slammed the front door, threw his shoes off, and sprinted to his room (slamming that door as well). Shigure was more than a little irritated. He had regained the inspiration he'd lost the day before, and now it was lost again courtesy of a certain Kyou Sohma. When Yuki and Tohru finally arrived, he confronted them.

"Alright, I'm serious now. Someone needs to talk to Kyou. If he keeps stomping around and slamming doors whenever he gets home, then I won't be able to finish writing my manuscript. If I don't do that, my editor will kill herself and I probably won't be able to find another one. If I can't find a new editor, then I'll go broke, lose my house, and then we're all either out on street or we'll have to live at the main Sohma family estate. Would either of you like that?"

Neither Yuki nor Tohru replied.

"That's what I thought. Now, someone please go talk to him." Shigure retreated back to his office and made a half-hearted attempt to continue writing before giving up and settling down to read.

Without needing further instruction, Tohru made a dash for Kyou's room and knocked on his door. The orange-haired boy nearly jumped out of his skin, almost spilling the blood he was pouring from the measuring to the water jug. He silently cursed whoever was trying to beat down his door.

"Kyou-kun!" Tohru's voice rang through the door.

"Just a minute!" Kyou took back his curse. He finished the transfer of red liquid from one container to another, and hid the objects in the back of his closet. He then turned to open his door for the girl.

"Kyou-kun, may I... come in?" she asked as soon as she could see him.

"Oh, sure." he stepped aside to let Tohru inside his room.

"Kyou-kun, is something... the matter?" worry laced her tone.

Kyou's heart skipped a beat. "Something the matter? I'm fine. Why would you ask something like that?" for a moment, he'd thought she might have caught on to what he was doing.

"It's just, you've been acting a little different lately. Shigure-san, Yuki-kun, and I all want to know what's wrong." Tohru looked at him with her big, brown eyes full of concern.

Kyou hated it when she looked at him like that. Tohru was so innocent and pure, he felt horrible deceiving her the way he was. Those eyes made him want to open up and tell her everything. He wanted to tell her how it wasn't fair that he worked so hard for so long but still couldn't beat Yuki, who didn't even train. He wanted to tell her about Yuki looking down on him and making him feel worthless. He wanted to tell her what it felt like to have a mother that didn't really love you. A mother that only lied and pretended to love you so she could hide her fear of you. He wanted to tell her about being seen not as a person, but as a monster to so many people. Kyou wanted to spill out his heart and soul to her right then and there. He just wanted Tohru to embrace him and rub his back and stroke his hair and tell him everything would be alright and not judge him while he cried on her shoulder... but he couldn't do that.

Kyou broke eye contact and gave her the lamest (but most feasible) excuse he could think of.

"I just want to do well on the science test next Friday, so I'm studying a lot. That's all."

**BLAH BLAH BLAH**

**Oyakodon Donburi** **is a common Japanese dish. It's chicken and eggs served over rice in a bowl. Oyakodon means parent and child. A **

**kotatsu table is the traditional Japanese table that is low to the ground. Many modern ones come with heaters, and your supposed to put a**

**blanket under the top but over the legs of it to keep the heat in. "Itadakimasu!" is a blessing they in Japan before they eat a meal. I did my**

**homework on this one, because I like to keep my facts straight! Ha-ha. I was doing "research"; but that's a a pun from an entirely**

**different anime. Alright! You know what to do! Review please! It makes me happy!**


	3. The Thirteenth Day

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:Hmm... I wonder if anyone actually reads these notes? Eh, doesn't matter. Alright, so in this chapter, well... just look at its title! This is a short fic. This might be the last or second-to-last chapter. I won't know until I'm done writing it. Um, mini-summary time? Kyou's plan will be made completely clear here for those that didn't quite see it last chapter. (Sorry for the confusion!) What will happen? Will Kyou defeat Yuki and realize his dream, or will he only fall apart in defeat? What horrible fate will befall our poor little kitten? Find out whether or not I believe in happy endings. Read the (probably) final chapter of "Stronger Blood", right now!**

**SUBNOTE #1:There's a LOT of dialogue in this chapter. Maybe too much. Just a warning.**

**SUBNOTE #2:For an enhanced reading experience, listen to any music by Linkin Park while reading this. Oh, and I don't own Linkin Park or any of their music either. But if I did!...**

**SUBNOTE #3:More kyouXtohru in this chapter, but it's more noticeable this time.**

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Hatsuharu sighed. It was a chilly morning, and here he was standing outside of the school like some sort of hoodlum. It was long before the time for classes to begin. He watched Momiji bounce around, giggling like a madman. They'd hadn't really had time to visit with Tohru and the others lately. Momiji had insisted upon meeting them early before school. Hatsuharu just couldn't say no to him. Tohru couldn't either, apparently. And since neither Yuki nor Kyou could say no to Tohru... they were all meeting outside of the school at an absurdly early time in the frigid cold. All thanks to Momiji.

Three shapes appeared from around the corner and Momiji flew at the shortest one.

"Tohru-kun! It's been so long! I mean, we see each other every day at school, but it's not the same!"

"Good morning, Momiji-kun! I'm very happy to see you, too!" Tohru grabbed the boy's hands, unable to hug him or withstand his cuteness.

Hatsuharu sneaked up beside them and, breathing hot breath heavily into her ear, spoke to Tohru seductively.

"Don't you want hold my hands, too? I've being waiting just as long. My hands are even colder. Won't you... warm me up?"

Before Tohru could even react, Hatsuharu descended into a pile of snow five feet away.

"Dumb-ass! Why are you so perverted?!" Kyou's orange-hair seemed to glow brighter with anger.

"How dare you speak to her that way," Yuki's voice was deadly calm.

Kyou turned to Tohru, "And you! Don't let him treat you like that!"

Yuki slapped him on the back of the head, saying "Don't yell at her, stupid cat. But he does have a point, Tohru."

The rat and cat proceeded to argue while Tohru stood there awkwardly, not liking all the fuss over her. Momiji watched the quarrel for a minute before becoming bored and leading Tohru away to sit on the school's front steps for a chat. Having recovered from his assault, Hatsuharu sat up in the person shaped hole he'd made in the snow and joined them, casually rubbing the two swelling bumps on his head.

"You've always looked at me like I was worthless!"

"You are! You're not worth my time."

Kyou burned inside. He hated Yuki. He hated him so much. Yuki was always so sure of himself. Yuki was always right and Kyou was always wrong. Quickly, he counted the days in his head. It was almost time. Then, Yuki couldn't disrespect him anymore. Kyou stared Yuki straight in the eye, silently blaming him for everything that had ever gone wrong in his life. Yuki was slightly unnerved. He'd never seen Kyou so... enraged, and full of loathing. His look was filled with such pain, such struggle, and such disdain.

"You just wait, Yuki." Kyou spat, it was one of the very few times he actually called his rival by name. "One day. Tomorrow. I'll destroy you. I'll destroy you, and claim a spot in the twelve zodiacs. Then you can't treat me like this anymore. Then I'll be respected. You. Just. Wait." Kyou turned, and walked to the school as the doors were unlocked and the first few school buses arrived to drop off their passengers. He walked past the others, ignoring them, and entered the school by himself. Puzzled, Momiji turned to Tohru for an answer:

"What's wrong with Kyou-kun? He's usually not this ornery."

"I don't know. I thought I knew why he was acting strange before, but this behavior is new." she furrowed her brow in worry.

Hatsuharu stood up. "I'll go talk to him." Before anyone could object, he was already in the building and on his way to his senpai's homeroom.

Kyou sat at his desk, all alone in the classroom. One sleeve was rolled up as he intently examined several scars on it. Battle scars. That's all they were. Tomorrow, it would all pay off. He heard the door open, and quickly snatched his sleeve down before glaring at the intruder. Hatsuharu shut the door behind him and glared back.

"What were you looking at?" He didn't see what he thought he saw. Kyou would do something like that... would he?

"What are you talking about?" he responded with a question of his own.

"What was on your arm, Kyou?" Hatsuharu took a step closer.

Kyou unconsciously grabbed his arm and replied defensivly: "Nothing, weirdo. Why are you so interested in people's arms? Do you have some kind of new fetish or something? 'Cause if so, then there's no way in hell I'm interested!"

The bovine zodiac sighed. Why did he have to make things so difficult? "Just let me see you arm."

"Says who? I'm stronger, so you can't force-"

Hatsuharu tackled Kyou out of his desk and straddled him on the floor. Kyou had forgotten that an impatient Hatsuharu equalled a black Hatsuharu. He grabbed the arm of interest and shoved the sleeve up, revealing many scars concentrated in a small area around his wrist and going only a little ways up his forearm.

"Kyou, what are you doing to yourself?!" he yelled, not at all loosening his firm grip on Kyou's wrist.

Kyou tried vainly to snatch his arm away and throw Hatsuharu off of him.

"It's not what you think, Haru! I have my reasons!" he shouted back, still struggling beneath the white-haired one.

"Hey, lover-boys! Get a room! I'm running a classroom here, not a YMCA!"

Hatsuharu and Kyou looked up at the disgruntled teacher standing in the doorway. She couldn't see Kyou's scarred arm from where she was standing, but this was still going to be a mess to explain.

* * *

The final bell rang, and, within a minute of its ringing, a steady stream of students started to flow from the school doors. It was Friday, the entire student body was eager to get home and start enjoying their weekend. Kyou exited with them, looking very agitated due to the stone-faced Hatsuharu attached to his arm. He'd convinced him not to tell, but there was a catch. Hatsuharu insisted on Kyou explaining why he was doing this and to also promise to stop. He'd taken the liberty of deciding to stay by his side whenever possible to make sure he didn't cut.

Momiji bounced along side them. He didn't question their uncharacteristic physical contact, he was too happy about visiting Shigure's house. Yuki and Tohru were also walking home with the group. Tohru thought the two were only enjoying some family bonding. Yuki, however was suspicious. Momiji chatted away happily with Tohru; together, the created the only noise the five made on the way home. Upon arrival, Hatsuharu immediately steered Kyou towards his room as if he was the one living there. The other three settled down in the living room, Tohru and Momiji still talking, and Yuki still puzzling over the peculiar display he'd witnessed on the way home from school.

In Kyou's room, Hatsuharu finally detatched himself from Kyou's arm and sat on the edge of his bed, instructing the orange-haired teen to do so also. Kyou's agitation grew further as he sat next to Hatsuharu. He hated how he acted as if he owned the place.

"Talk." One word, a simple command.

"You won't tell anyone?" a skeptical response.

"Only if you stop cutting yourself." It was a sure promise. Hatsuharu could be trusted.

"Well if your so smart, then why don't you tell me why _you _think I'm cutting myself." Kyou was still reluctant to talk to him, even if he was trustworthy.

"Alright. Well, to be general, I think your using it as a release for your frustration in not being able to defeat Yuki." Just because of which zodiac possessed him, Hatsuharu certainly wasn't the idiot some people had made him out to be.

"Ha! Your wrong!" In the back of his mind, Kyou subconsciously wondered if Hatsuharu was right.

"Then why are you doing this, Kyou?"

"Kyou turned away, a little embarassed and (he didn't know why, but) slightly ashamed. "...I just want to get stronger so I can defeat him."

"That's pretty much what I just said."

"Shut up! What do you know? You've always been included in the twelve zodiacs! You only have one other form! So how could you understand exactly why I would do it?" Kyou pointed to his arm.

"I could, if you explained it to me." Hatsuharu remained calm. Anyone who knew him would have been surprised.

Kyou also calmed down. Hatsuharu was being rational, after all. He sighed, and began to explain himself. "...I thought, if I bled out all my old blood, and only ate and drank what Yuki did, then my body could make new blood using the same materials or chemicals or nutrients- whatever that his body made blood with. Then, I thought it would be more fair when we fought." He took a breath. He'd said it all so fast, he didn't take the time to breath while he spoke. He couldn't imagine how silly his plan might sound to someone else.

Hatsuharu stroked his imaginary beard and considered Kyou's words for a moment before replying. "Ah," he said, "I see."

"Really?" Kyou was utterly shocked that he understood.

"But you still shouldn't have done it." Hatsuharu stood and began to rummage about the room, seemingly in search of something.

"What are you doing?" Kyou asked from his seat on the bed.

"Looking for anything dangerous. Like a razor, or a pocketknife, or a compass-"

"Compass? Why would I have used a compass? I'm not even taking geometry this year."

"Those things can be pretty sharp." Hatsuharu then spoke to himself, "Hmm... nothing here. Maybe I should check the closet."

Kyou heard him mumble. He didn't exactly hear what was said, but he was sure he heard the word "closet". His thoughts were confirmed as he watched Hatsuharu meander across his room to the closet and open its door.

Hatsuharu's hand flew to his nose. "What the hell, Kyou? Did you kill someone and hide the body in your closet? It reeks like... Kyou, you didn't."

"Don't look!" Kyou sprang up from his bed and rushed towards Hatsuharu. Right in the middle of his floor, however, there was conveniently misplaced shoe, over which Kyou haphazardly tripped. He stumbled forward and crashed into Hatsuharu, utimately causing them both to tumble in a tangle of limbs into the closet. A splashing noise, a startled yell, and the two emerged from the closet, both soaked in their share of 6 quarts of Kyou's blood. Oh how the owner of the blood wished he had found or made a cover for the top of the jug he'd kept hidden in his closet.

Hatsuharu took a moment to compose himself. "I see why you cut yourself, but why in the hell did you keep the blood?"

"Uh, I have a reason for that, too."

"Kyou, your not going to stop, are you?" he sighed, with sad eyes.

"Of course I'll stop. I don't need to cut anymore. I've already bled out all my old blood." he stated matter-of-factly.

"That's not what I meant. You won't stop being obsessive about beating Yuki, will you? What are you going to do if this doesn't work? Are you going to go to another extreme? I don't like seeing you do these kinds of things to yourself just because of him. I used to hate him, too. But now we have an understanding, and he helped me to quit caring about what people thought. Maybe you can come to terms with him, too." The words were of no comfort to Kyou, though, for they only succeeded in causing him to become enraged.

"I knew it! You don't really understand, do you? Yuki never hated you back, but we've always hated eachother! And my situation is different from yours! It's my body, and I'll do whatever the hell I want to do with it! AH! Why can't anyone understand?! If I can finally defeat him, then no one will look down on the cat anymore! I can release myself and future Sohmas posessed by the cat spirit if I get included into the twelve zodiacs. Doesn't anyone understand how important that is to me?"

"Kyou-" Hatsuharu tried to interject, but failed.

"No! You shut up! I'll show you right now! I'll show Yuki, too! I'll show all the Sohmas and especially Akito that I can do this!" He stormed towards the door, threw it upon and stalked angrily into the hallway on his way to the living room.

"Wait! Kyou!" Hatsuharu went after him. But by the time he reached the living room, it was too late. Tohru and Momiji sat huddled on the couch in fear, Tohru looking close to tears. Yuki was on his feet and facing Kyou who flaunted his scarred arm, his shirt sleeve rolled up to show it.

"Thirteen days ago, Yuki, your fate was sealed! I'm stronger now, I can defeat you! I'll finally win!"

"What's wrong you?" Yuki then spotted Hatsuharu in the doorway, "Hatsuharu, what's wrong with him? And why are you both covered in blood?!"

Hatsuharu opened his mouth to speak. He wasn't sure what he was going to say yet, but he needed to give some sort of explanation. He lost his chance, though, as Kyou interrupted him. He yelled and hurled himself at Yuki. Anyone spectators would have thought that Kyou was fighting Yuki; but those that knew him (namely those presently in the room) knew that this wasn't Kyou. This anguished shell had the appearance of Kyou Sohma, the tough, confident young man with a hidden soft side. But upon closer inspection, this creature with its crazed eyes and desperate, depressed disposition was not the same Kyou.

Yuki stood ready to defend himself. An instant before any violent actions could ensure, Kyou disappeared. Sitting on his blood-stained clothes clutching an orange cat with watering tear ducts sat Tohru, who was crying herself. At first, Yuki almost started to separate them, fearing that Kyou might scratch or bite Tohru in his fury; but he stopped himself when he saw Tohru working the same kind magic she had on many people, including several Sohmas.

Kyou had only let her (or anyone else) hold him like this once before. But this time, he felt he needed much more than the last time. Tohru held him tightly in her arms. She cried and fulfilled Kyou's fantasy, though not exactly as he had imagined. She held the cat close to her chest and lulled him with her heartbeat and washed him with her tears. She stroked his fur and rubbed his back and whispered promises of help and future happiness into his pointy little ears. The comforting, steady thump of her heart, and the sad lullaby of her soft voice calmed him. Kyou curled up, and fell asleep in her lap. He didn't know if he was dreaming or still half awake when he realized he was wrong. Someone did understand him. It was Tohru, and here she was doing what no one else could: making him forget all about troubles, his greatest wish come true.

* * *

**Make sure to read the Epilogue coming up next. 'Tis even sadder, and it leads up to the sequel.**

**...**

**I'M PLANNING A SEQUEL! So be on the look out! (Oh dear, what can I possibly do to poor Kyou now? Haven't I had my fun? NOPE!)**

**I really do love Kyou. He's my favorite Fruits Basket character. I'm just the kind of reader/writer that likes to see my favorite character abused or anguished or hurt or anything the normal person doesn't want to see happen to their favorite character. And if that's wrong, then I don't wanna be right!**

**I know it's supposed to be an angst fic, but it's Fruits Basket for crying out loud! I had to have a little romantic humour at the beginning. Can you blame me? Hope you enjoyed it! "Stronger Blood" was fun to write! And always remeber, reviews make me happy! They're the best gift/reward you can give me for writing this.**


	4. Epilogue: A Mutual Agreement

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:Well, here it is! The last little bit of "Stronger Blood". Pay attention, because this leads up to the sequel. Enjoy! Oh, and the whole Linkin Park thing last chapter... Kyou just seems like he would listen to their music. I don't know, just my opinion. Also, there's just the slightest hint of yukiXkyou here. Be warned! Now, I COMMAND THEE TO READ AND REVIEW!!!**

* * *

"We have someone watching him in his room, now," Shigure sat in his office speaking on the phone.

"He's already had much more freedom than his predecessors. I believe now is the right time to lock him away. Sooner rather than later seems necessary in this situation. Don't you agree, Shigure?" the voice on the other end of the line replied.

"Whatever you think is the appropriate course of action, Akito."

"Whatever happens, he will not be living at your home anymore. Let him know that our deal is off." A click, and there was silence.

The dog zodiac sighed and set the phone back on its receiver. He picked it back up and dialed another number. While the phone rang, he wondered if the person he was calling now was the one he should have told first.

* * *

Tohru knelt, staring sadly at the peacefully sleeping form before her. Why hadn't she seen how troubled he'd really been? How could she not have noticed how badly Kyou had been hurting?

"Kyou... I'm sorry I didn't... notice sooner, or try to help you. I'm sorry," she whispered to herself. She clutched the fabric covering her legs and bowed her head. Cold, sad tears dripped from her eyes and made water stains on her skirt.

"_Don't_ be sorry. "

Tohru jumped and looked up upon hearing the harsh voice emitted from across the room. She hadn't expected any reply.

"D-did I wake you? I'm sor-" she stopped speaking as a hand clasped over her mouth and Kyou's piercing gaze aimed for her own soft eyes. He'd leaped up from his bed and clear across the room. Tohru blushed as she realized the only thing keeping him from being nude was the tangled blanket clinging to his waist that had refused to let go when he had left the bed.

"It's _not _your fault. None of it is. So stop apologizing." Kyou released his grip on Tohru's face and sat back cross-legged in front of her, the blanket still keeping him decent. "If anyone is sorry," he began "it's me. I'm sorry for making you worry about me."

Tohru thought for a moment, deciding on what to say next. "I just want to know, why you would do that."

"I have no excuse. I should just plead temporary insanity." He knew that the main house would hear about this. There was no doubt about that. Kyou was most concerned about what Akito would do to him.

"But there must be a reason! You wouldn't hurt yourself for no reason, would you? Please, Kyou-kun. I want you to be happy."

Kyou sighed. No matter what he did he couldn't lessen her concern. The more he tried to make Tohru apathetic to his situation, the more she cared. He didn't want her to keep worrying herself just for him: the pitiful failure.

"All that happened was I had some stupid idea about changing my blood so I could get stronger and defeat Yuki. I'm stupid and crazy and you shouldn't want to have anything to do with me. ...I'm not worth it."

"No! That's not true! Please don't say things like that, Kyou-kun. You can get past this- I know it! I'll help you, and we can do it together." She added the last part as incentive. The image of such a depressed Kyou was like a stake being driven into her heart and slowly cracking it apart. She couldn't stand this. This wasn't how Kyou acted. Kyou was strong and confident and loved excitement. She didn't like him acting so unlike himself.

Kyou didn't look at Tohru. He turned his gaze away and looked down in shame. He decided then and believed that Tohru didn't deserve a person like him in her life, nor did he deserve someone like her.

* * *

Kazuma rapped impatiently on the wooden sliding door. The two voices within were silenced, and the door opened to allow him entrance.

"I assume you've heard, Kazuma?" Akito spoke from a shadowy section of the room.

"Yes, and I request that Kyou come to live with me again." he said, determination driving his tone.

"Your even crazier than I thought!" the father of the boy in question released his outburst as he shut the door. "That monster killed my wife, and now it wants to kill itself! I don't see why we should send it to be pampered at your dojo so it can get spoiled all over again."

Kazuma's eyes narrowed in anger and disgust towards this man that had such little regard for his own son. "I heard nothing of a suicide attempt. I think your exaggerating drastically."

Akito finally deciding to speak up, having enjoyed her fill of the argument. "I'll consider your request, Kazuma."

"What?" Kyou's father didn't understand Akito's motives. "_Why would he deter from tradition?_"

Sensing the other man's inner turmoil, the head of the Sohma clan answered the unspoken question "The Cat Room is currently making a lovely storage area. Anything you would like to add before I make my decision?" She looked at Kazuma, waiting for his answer. Meanwhile, a mouth was agape in disbelief of what Akito had said regarding the room of Kyou's eventual imprisonment.

"I could use another hand working around my dojo." He wasn't exactly lying (he could always find work for someone at his dojo) but what he really wanted to say he held his tongue to. "_That ass might not love Kyou, but I do. He is not his son, he is mine. Specific relations don't matter. I raised and cared for Kyou when that man chose to abandon him. I'm the only one that can help him right now. The damn Cat Room is the cruelest place on Earth. I will _not _allow Kyou to be sent there. Especially in his current emotional state._" Kazuma figured he was at least safe to speak his mind... in his mind.

"Good enough. Kyou Sohma, possessed by the cat spirit, will now live with you, Kazuma Sohma, who's grandfather, interestingly enough, was also cursed by the spirit of the cat. My decision is final. Both of you leave me now."

* * *

Kyou was unusually quiet. Shigure had expected him to be angry, jump around and scream; but he was calm. A silent intensity of unexpressed rage and forced acceptance filled him and spilled out into an unpleasant aura for anyone near him. Kyou knew he couldn't help what was going to happen. Akito's word was law in the world of the Sohmas, especially those possessed by the spirits of the zodiac. Kyou knew he had no choice. All he could do was comply like a good little monster.

"When... do I leave?" it was the only sound after several minutes of silence in the room.

"Kazuma-san will be coming by this afternoon."

More silence. Unable to bear it any longer, Tohru took the initiative in deciding to point out positive points in the situation.

"This isn't too bad. I can still visit Kyou-kun! The dojo isn't that far away. I could even stop by every day if you like. And we'll still see eachother at school, won't we?" she smiled with relief, having expected something much worse to befall her favorite non-zodiac.

"That's a good point. Things won't be that much different. We can all still see you often. You can't see anyone at school, though. It's been decided that you'll be home-schooled at the dojo. In fact, your basically being put on house arrest. You won't be allowed to leave the premises. Sorry I forgot to mention that." Shigure felt bad for having been so forgetful. He knew that this was only another below-the-belt blow, however unintentional it may be.

"I'll start packing, then." Kyou stood and walked over to his closet, trying not to step in the blood stain on the floor while he rummaged for a suitcase.

Tohru made a motion towards him but Shigure placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She glanced up at him questioningly. He shook his head and led her out of the room. He came back and shut the door behind him. Kyou looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something.

"I'm sorry, Kyou, but there's still one last thing I need to tell you."

* * *

A body attached to a head with bright orange hair sat gloomily on the front porch of Shigure Sohma's house, a large suitcase next to it. The body sat alone, awaiting its master to come and whisk it away back to the place of its childhood. It was a wonderful place, but it seemed like a step backwards to need to go there. That body wanted nothing more than to be stronger; and retreating to the place where it first began to gain strength made it feel weaker than ever before.

Tohru and Shigure were positioned behind a nearby window, mournfully watching the center of their household's excitement wait to be taken away. The last thing they expected to see was Kyou's own rival step out the front door and sit down beside him. The two in the window crouched down where they stood until only the top half of they're heads could be seen. They tried to remain inconspicuous as they continued to spy upon the other two.

Kyou felt Yuki stare at him. Without looking up from a very interesting pebble he was nudging with his shoe, he spoke to him. "What do you want?"

"Understand that what I'm about to ask you for is not something I want immediately."

Kyou paused a moment before giving a slight nod.

"I want to fight you-"

"Don't patronize me!" Kyou's head turned sharply to the side and he glared at Yuki, his face beginning to flush slightly with rage. "How dare you kick me when I'm down?!"

"I'm not, now let me finish. I want to fight you. I want you to use your time at Kazuma-san's dojo wisely. Get stronger. Then, send word to me. I'll come and fight you then. Give me a challenge when I get there." he added the last part a little teasingly.

"You don't understand," Kyou began, returning his eyes to that pebble again. "Defeating you has no meaning to me anymore. I have nothing left to accomplish with it. So you can keep your pity."

"What? Just yesterday you were hellbent on beating me. Why the sudden change?"

"It has to do with Akito." he knew nothing more needed to be said.

"I see. Well, other than being possessed by the spirits of the cat and rat, I don't see any reason why we should hate eachother. Just look at what that hate is doing." Yuki referred to the entire situation that resulted from Kyou desperation.

"So what are you saying? You think we can actually overcome our instincts?"

"I'm not saying we have to be best friends, but we are more human than animal. Trust me. It's going to be just as hard for me not to hate you as you to not hate me. It's not just us either. Everyone around us is affected by our hate." Yuki spoke slowly. He may have had charisma, but he still very much disliked Kyou. Their human parts knew that their feud was stupid; but their animal parts insisted that this feud was their way of life.

"I don't ever want Tohru or anyone else to see me like that again." he thought of the two people in the window that he fully well knew were spying on he and Yuki.

"I know. Believe it or not, I didn't like seeing it either."

"I'm ashamed that you did see me acting so pathetically."

Their conversation ended as they heard the familiar slam of the front gate as someone stepped through it. The two of them stood and greeted the man that approached them.

"Are you ready, Kyou?"

"Yes, Shishou."

Rolling his suitcase behind him to his master's car, Kyou thought about everything Yuki had said. Could it be possible to ever become friends with someone you hated so much? He would find out. He get stronger at Shishou's dojo and then summon Yuki to come fight him. At the end of that fight, he would discover his answer. Until then, he would work hard, improving his mental and social strength as well as his physic. He would create a new bond with Yuki. He didn't know yet what it would become, not even if it would be good or bad. Whatever happened, Kyou was determined to leave the past in the past- right where it belonged.

His suitcase safely tucked into the trunk of the car, Kyou buckled into the passenger seat and stared out the window as Kazuma started the engine. He noticed slight breeze pick up and pull at fallen leaves and the dangling hair of those outside. The wind tried to take these precious items with it; but they slipped through its transparent fingers, despite its desperate clawing efforts. He locked eyes with Yuki and vaguely noticed that Shigure and Tohru had joined him in the sending off of Kyou. With a deep, silent understanding the eyes of two warriors broke from each other's view to nod in respect. Each acknowledged the other as a worthy adversary and perhaps a friend in time with hard work.

As Kazuma's car pulled away and began to drive down the road, a playing field was leveled. Kyou smiled to himself, happy because it was a different one from what he'd wanted just a single day ago.

* * *

****

YES! My first fanficion is finished and I feel fabulous! Can you tell I'm a fan of alliteration? That was a bad example, though. I can do MUCH better. Uh-oh, I'm rambling. Quick! Change the subject!

Oh! I'm gonna make myself cry- and I'm the one writing it! Remember the challenge last chapter? It was a trick question! I don't believe in happy _or_ sad endings. I believe in bittersweet ones! Didn't see _that _coming, did'ja? And yes, I used the Akito from the manga. That's why the third person narrator addresses her as "her" and characters address her as "him". I would really appreciate seeing some support for the sequel. So... REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE!!! 146 hits and only 11 reviews? SHOW ME SOME LOVE, PEOPLE!!! You know how to make me happy... REVIEW! I'll see you in the sequel!

P.S. Please excuse the Naruto references near the end. It was unintentional. DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything.


	5. Wrap Party!

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hello everyone! I've decided that at the end of every fanfic I write, I will have a wrap party where the characters and I discuss what went on and review the, well, reviews that the story received. Any misconceptions any readers may have had will also be cleared up (or at least I'll try to do that****). Okay, here we go!**

**NOTE: All "Wrap Parties" will be written in script form.**

* * *

ebony-ivory-me: Yayz! What a great story!

Kyou: What the hell are you talking about?! That was a horrible story!

ebony-ivory-me: Well, maybe for you; but all the readers loved it, right? *crickets chirping* *face falls*

Yuki: I'd like to file a complaint.

Hatsuharu: Yes, so would I.

ebony-ivory-me: What do you two want?

Yuki: I believe I was too OOC. There's absolutely no chance I would ever be even _remotely_ friendly to the stupid Cat.

Kyou: Yeah! And- hey! Don't you call me stupid, you damn rat!

Yuki & Kyou: *fighting*

ebony-ivory-me: Oh dear. Well, while they handle that, why don't you tell me what's bothering you, Haru?

Hatsuharu: You gave me too much dialogue. I didn't like that.

ebony-ivory-me: ...Sorry? Here, have a cupcake. *hands Haru a cupcake* Just don't turn black, okay?

Hatsuharu: *mumbles* Chocolate. *munches on cupcake*

ebony-ivory-me: Okay, now, does anyone else have a beef with me?

Shigure: Excuse the pun, but I have a bone to pick with you. *smirks*

ebony-ivory-me: *sarcastic* Oh, you're so hilarious.

Shigure: I'm upset because you made me too mean! I would never yell at my lovely little housewife. *huggles Tohru*

Tohru: Wah?!

Kyou: *jumps out of his fight with Yuki* What'd you call her?! *pushes Tohru away and grabs Shigure by his shirt front*

Shigure: Nothing, nothing... *whispers: the little kitten is so possessive*

Kyou: I heard that! Stop... twisting my words around!

ebony-ivory-me: *sighs* So much violence in the world...

Akito: *taps ebony's shoulder*

ebony-ivory-me: Huh-? Holy crap! Akito! Uh, wh-what can I do for you? *nervous*

Akito: I don't appreciate you instigating so much gender confusion concerning myself.

ebony-ivory-me: Ah, that. Well, um, I think maybe you should take that up with the original manga-ka of Fruits Basket and the producers and  
director of the Fruits Basket anime.

Akito: Humph. *walks away mumbling* ...ugliest girl I've ever seen...

ebony-ivory-me: So mean...

Yuki: *crawls out from the corner he hid in when Akito came* Here, we've wasted enough time already. *hands ebony a paper with reviews on it*

ebony-ivory-me: Yes, thank you! Alrighty, then! Let's start with... my very first reveiw and then work our way down the list!

Yuki: There's not much else way to do it, smart one.

ebony-ivory-me: Leave me alone! I am your current authoress, so be respectful.

Yuki: Like you deserve any of my respect.

ebony-ivory-me: Just be quiet so I can read and reply to the reviews!

Yuki: *looks with attitude* ...

ebony-ivory-me: Thank you. Now, **Princess of the Hawks** said "_I enjoyed this! Though I always spell Kyo without the 'u', but hey, everyone has different tastes, eh? ^_^ I noticed that you still had a semicolon where you should have had a comma, but other than that, I liked it! No spelling errors that I picked up or anything...yes, I'm a huge spelling and grammar nut. ^_^" Hope that ya update soon! You have me hooked! ^_^ Which is a good thing, 'cause it's been a while since I was hooked on a fanfic. ^_^_

Shigure: That's so sweet! Even though you utterly failed to beat the bullshit meter on this fic, she was still very polite and gave you a nice review.

ebony-ivory-me: *seething* Shut... up... now...

Shigure: You're the boss! n.n

ebony-ivory-me: *waves to Kai-sempai cheerfully* Well, Princess, I'm truly am glad to have someone nitpicking at my spelling and grammar. I tend to do it to other people, and they find it very annoying.

Kyou: Everything about you is annoying.

ebony-ivory-me: What's with all you FruBa characters?! Why are you all being so mean to me? TT~TT

Yuki: *points to a holiday-marked spot on a calender* It's "Flame Your Authoress Day".

ebony-ivory-me: Of course it is. -_- Next review: **whitetiger97** said "_wow ...tis a cool does the cutting come in?_"

Kyou: Does _everyone_ enjoy reading about me hurting myself so much?

ebony-ivory-me: They won't admit it, but a lot of people do, actually. Now, as any of my loyal fans know, the cutting came in quite soon. About the middle of the second chapter. I hope all the readers were satisfied.

Kyou: I sure as hell wasn't.

ebony-ivory-me: But you weren't a reader. Next review! **CrimsonButterfly94** said "_I like it. I want to see what Kyou does personally, so keep writing._"

Yuki: Yet another lying, but polite, reviewer.

ebony-ivory-me: Alright. I'm getting really sick of your mouth. Holiday or not, if you haven't anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Yuki: *rolls eyes*

ebony-ivory-me: *glares* I hope Kyou's actions were interesting enough for you, and the rest of the readers, Crimson. Thank you for reviewing! Next, **Ebony Dagger** said "_I really don't like the sound of Kyo being nervous and blood and all that. Cutting is a bit scary and I'm just praying he doesn't pass out and then Tohru finds him. She'd probably go and collapse or something. Oh well, please update._"

Kyou: I like this person.

ebony-ivory-me: Yes, she gave a very well rounded critique. Thank you, Ebony-chan. As for passing out, I'm just curious how relieved you were when Kyou never did. However, I'd like to know what you thought of the ending where Tohru stops him from fighting Yuki, cuddles him, and later when she's keeping watch over Kyou in his room. Drop another review here, please, if you don't mind.

Kyou: And call me. *winks*

Shigure: Kyou-kun is a sex-fiend!

Kyou: Shut up, you! *attacks Shigure*

ebony-ivory-me: Moving on, to "Stronger Blood"'s fifth review. For chapter 2, **whitetiger97** said "_studying...heh, liar. thanks for making it so soon though!when you said soon, i didnt think you meant literally. cutting...people look upon it so negatively.-sigh- its not that people do it for a well...cant wait for the next chapter!!_"

Shigure: *recovers* Yes, I agree. Kyou-kun is a liar; and a very bad one at that.

Kyou: *emitting grumpiness particles into the air*

ebony-ivory-me: Thank you for reviewing multiple times, Tiger! It makes me feel good when my readers/reviewers appreciate my work this much. On to the next review, now. **-x-Bashli-x-** said "_Oh poor Kyou. I hope the others catch on quickly before he can damage himself too badly. I like the extra information that you have included in the authors note at the bottom, it's very interesting! Keep up the good work, and I can't wait for more!_"

Shigure: That's what she said.

Kyou: _You're_ the real pervert here.

Shigure: I cannot deny anything I am, and neither can Aya-chan. We both have so much to teach the little kitten!

Kyou: You two don't know anything I want to learn... and stop calling me that, dammit!

ebony-ivory-me: ANYWAYS!! Thank you, Bashli, for your review. I like to see eager readers.

Kyou: And thanks for actually caring; because, apparently, no one else does.

ebony-ivory-me: And with that, I banish thee to the emo corner until further notice. *waves hand dramatically*

Kyou: Bitch. *is flung through the air by an invisible force*

ebony-ivory-me: I am what I am. Next review! Back again for the second chapter, **Princess of the Hawks** said "_Uhm, when you bleed, you make the same blood again, don't you? ~shakes head~ I don't think Kyo did his math on that one. When you bleed, your body makes the same blood. It's impossible to makes stronger blood unless you...tweaked it somehow...hmm...Now you have me thinking, which is a good thing! Been a while since I actually thought about what a character was going to do in a fanfic. ^_^ All in all, this was a good chapter! I noticed a minor spelling error...I think it was "though" and I think it should have been "thought". Other than that, like I said, it was a good chapter! ^_^_

Hatsuharu: *with chocolate cupcake crumbs all over his face* She just exposed the complete bullshittiness of this fic.

ebony-ivory-me: And thank you, Hatsuharu, for creating a new word to insult me with. -_-

Hatsuharu: Whatever.

Yuki: She probably didn't have to think about it too hard. That idiot Cat is easy to predict.

Kyou: *from across the room in the emo corner* Damn Rat! I can still hear you! *shakes fist angrily*

ebony-ivory-me: *trying desperately to ignore all of them and get on with the reviews* After that, **Kumiko-loves-Furuba** said "_I like the story so far. You write well. Please continue... I want to know what happens to Kyo next..._"

Yuki: Yet another polite liar.

ebony-ivory-me: Yuki!!! That's it! I'm sending you to... him.

Yuki: No, you don't mean...?

ebony-ivory-me: Mm-hmm. *nods head*

Yuki: Oh, God. No, please! Anyone but HIM!

ebony-ivory-me: *in a sing-songy voice* Oh, Aya-chan...!

Yuki: How could you?!

Ayame: Darling little brother! Absolutely nothing could keep me away from you- not even the fact that I didn't even appear in this fanfiction! *glomps Yuki* I've a wonderful day planned out for us- we're going to spend the entire day at my shop! Won't you just _love_ that?

Yuki: I HATE the Snake! Noooo...!! *is dragged away by Ayame*

Hatsuharu: *looks at her strangely*

ebony-ivory-me: What? Who did you think I was threatening him with, Akito? Give me some credit, Haru. I'm not that cruel.

Hatsuharu: I guess it's just you and me, then.

ebony-ivory-me: At least for now, anyways. Now, time to review the the ninth review "Stronger Blood" received. **Chaseha-Wing** said "_oh no... does his plan include a pointy, sharp, and shiny object which can be used to cut vegetables and human flesh? if so then I believe he has finally lost it._

Hatsuharu: Funny.

ebony-ivory-me: Yes, I agree. This person has got to be my favorite reviewer yet. The witty reviews left by Chaseha amused me to no end. Thanks!

Hatsuharu: There's three more of Chaseha-Wing's.

ebony-ivory-me: I'll read 'em, then! **Chaseha-Wing** said "_... I highly doubt that any one will believe his excuse...and Yuki's pretty observant so he'll probably notice the change in Kyou-kun's diet...won't that make things awkward ^^_"

Hatsuharu: Why _did_ you make Yuki so stupid in this one? *just barely starting to turn black*

ebony-ivory-me: Yuki wasn't stupid in this one, I was just... lazy. Yeah, let's go with that. Next, **Chaseha-Wing** said "_o noes that's sad... but what Kyou really needs is not being a part of the zodiac, but acknowledgment. I think thats all he truly needs, in my opinion. Especially from Yuki-kun. This is turning out awesome, though I truly hope that Kyou gets some help. He doesn't need any psychological help, he just needs acknowledgment... time to go to the one that understands him the most. *goes searching for Shishou*_"

Shishou: And I showed up, alright!

ebony-ivory-me: Oh, hello Kazuma!

Haru: Hey, Shishou.

Shishou: *waves*

ebony-ivory-me: Now let's check the next review. **Chaseha-Wing** said "_awesome job, it was a good ending. I'll keep an eye out for the sequel. Though it looks like temporary insanity is what happened, but he looks fine now... I wonder if the girls will come over to surprise him. it does sound likely, ne ^^. Good work._"

Kyou: *from the emo corner* Let me out, already!

ebony-ivory-me: Fine, fine... but then tell us what you think of this review.

Kyou: *free* That's better. Hmm... well, I don't really feel like getting visited by any giggly, goofy, loud, annoying girls. Look at all I went through!

ebony-ivory-me: You're just a grumpy-puss. I'd think it'd be great for you to have "visiting hours". *snickers*

Kyou: -_- Why you... Just read the next review!

ebony-ivory-me: Gladly. Now, **Princess of the Hawks** came back to say "_Sorry I didn't review the last chapter. ^^; I was kinda busy doing some stuff and then some things happened...yeah. Though I am here now, reviewing the last chapter! Well, your anonymous reviews are disabled. You'd probably get more reviews if you enabled them. ^^; I only know that because I wasn't signed in (I'm using my mom's computer, which has slow, slow internet) and it said you had anon reviews disabled. ^^; Anyway, woot YukixKyo hints! He he he. Now I shall reply to your PM! Or try to! ^_^_

Shishou: It's a good thing you've fixed that disabled anonymous problem since then.

Kyou: Shishou, you're here! *barely manages to restrain himself from hugging Kazuma*

Shishou: *smiles at Kyou* What's this "yukiXkyou" business I've been hearing about, eh? *raises one eyebrow, amused*

Kyou: Sh-shishou! That's... I can explain! It's not my fault! *incredibly embarrassed*

Shishou: *laughs*

Kyou: Shishou! Don't laugh at me!

Shishou: *chuckle* I'm sorry, Kyou. *smiles and ruffles his hair*

Hatsuharu: Next review.

ebony-ivory-me: I couldn't have said better myself, Haru! This one is special because it's the most recent review I've received to date! So, without ado, I'd like to thank **Loopy Lini Cakes** for saying "_Ah! It's absolutely wonderful! I loved it! You said you were going to make a sequel, right? I can't wait! See you at school!_

Shigure: She sounds like quite a nice young lady. Say, ebony-chan, mind if I come to school with you one day? As a guest speaker about my profession?

ebony-ivory-me: Hm, well, since I don't know of anyone that wants to be a porn author or get molested... no.

Shigure: But-

ebony-ivory-me: I said "no," !

Shigure: Aww...

ebony-ivory-me: Well, that's it for now! Like I said before, stay tuned for the sequel! Which I should start posting soon.

Hatsuharu: Which is code for "in a decade or two".

ebony-ivory-me: *glares but doesn't reply because it might be true*

* * *

:D

;D

:3

X3

*3*

^_^


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